Stereoscopic or depth lens for cameras



J. F. WIGGIN 2,076,419

STEREOSCOPIC OR DEPTH LENS FOR CAMERAS April 6, 1937.

2 sheets sheet 1 Filed March 20, 1935 INVENTOR 25 ATTORNE WITNESSES April 1937- J. F. WlGGlN 2,076,419

STEREOSCOPIC OR DEPTH LENSFQR CAMERAS Filed March 20, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES INVENTOR 5W L4 Jag/51 1a)? z'lz ATTORNE Patented Apr. 6, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,070,419 s'rsnsosoorrooa nsr'rn LENS roa CAMERAS John Frank Wiggin, Brooklyn,'N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Camerascopic Lens Inc., Portland, Maine, a corporation of Maine Application March 20, 1935, Serial No. 12,085

3 Claims.

function the image of an object or series oi objects from each lens structure will be focused on 15 the film.

An additional object is to provide a depth lens structure for cameras wherein two or more lens structures are arranged to be focused on a given surface, each lens structure being provided with 20 a cap having a comparatively small central aperture arranged on the focal axis of the lens structure whereby a great depth may be secured at all times.

In the accompanying drawings 25 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lens structure disclosing an embodiment of the invention, the same being shown on a moving picture camera which is illustrated in dot-and-dash lines;

Fig. 2 is a front view on an enlarged scale of 30 the lens structure shown in Fig. 1, certain parts being broken away to better illustrate the detail structure;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through Fig. 2 approximately on the line 3-3;

35 Fig. 4 is a side view of one of the lens structures shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view partly in section and partly in diagram illustrating the details of the structure shown in Fig. 1, and also illustrating how the io- 40 cuses of the respective images are on the same surface and of the same size;

Fig. 6 is a front view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a slightly modified structure;

I Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing a 45 further modified structure.

Referring -to the accompanying drawings by numerals, I indicates a moving picture camera, and 2 the lens formation embodying the invention. This lens formation as a whole might be 50 applied to the particular camera shown in Fig. l, or to other forms of moving picture cameras, or still cameras, without departing from the spirit of the invention. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, there is provided a tubular support 3, which is adapted to 55 be connected to the camera in any desired manslidably or otherwise mounted an and two vertical planes.

ner, and over this support is fitted a telescopic sleeve 4 having a comparatively thick end I. The

end I is provided with a slideway 8 having a beveled portion 1 and a groove 3. The groove 8 accommodates apart of the adjusting screw 9, said 5 adjusting screw having right and left hand threads meshing continually with threads i0 and ll of base plates i2 and I3. These base plates carry tubular members It and these tubular members in turn carry caps i5, said ca s being either 10 provided with a central aperture It, the center of which is in the focal axes of the various lenses I! and I8.

It 'will be understood that each of the tubular members I l is provided with a set of lenses and also a prism I! as shown in Fig. 5. However, as

illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, the tubular members it and the parts carried thereby may be adjusted toward and from each other by rotation of the screw 8'. This screw has a reduced portion for accommodating a pin 2 I, whereby the screw may be freely rotated but will not move longitudinally, though the bases l2 and i3 will move toward and from each other simultaneously. While this adjustable feature is desirable for certain purposes. it will be understood that in many cameras this adjustable feature will be omitted, and the various lenses and the caps with the opening it will be fixed and, consequently, the focus will be fixed. By reason of the small opening it great depth to all pictures is secured, the various lenses being sufilciently rapid to secure the desired result. It

will be understood that the usual shutters and other parts of the camera are used to secure the desired exposure of the film or plate carried by the camera.

In Fig. 5 the diagram will illustrate more exactly how the parts function. It will be observed that there are two sets of lenses and two sets of prisms arranged in certain order whereby the images going through the respective openings I6 will be focused on the plate or surface 22 and be exactly superimposed. In this way a stereoscopic or great depth picture may be secured.

While two groups of lens structures are desirable as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, it is evident that more could be provided if desired, as, for instance, in Fig. 6 there are four groups 23, two lenses being arranged in the same horizontal planeand two in the same vertical plane. In Fig. '7 four groups of lenses 24 are provided, the respective positions of the groups being in two horizontal Other groupings could be provided without departing from the spirit of the invention, but when provided all lenses must focus on the same surface, as, for instance, the member 22 to be slightly offset or slightly surface 22.

In most moving picture cameras, as well as still cameras, the parts will be manufactured at the factory so as to be non-adjustable, whereby the focus will always be accurate as it will be accurately ascertained at the factory before the camera leaves the factory. If desired, the caps It could be removed and others substituted having larger or smaller apertures IE, but the position and arrangement of the groups of lenses and prisms would always remain the same because this is necessary in order that the focus on the plate or surface 22 shall always be accurate.

Great accuracy in this respect is desirable as the light rays producing the image on the plate or surface 22 must exactly place the respective images one on top of the other so that the respective images from each group of lenses will merge into the other images and form a single image on the plate, film, or other surface 22.

It will be understood that when a camera is fitted with a depth lens as shown in Fig. 5, it will be necessary to provide an exposure and then de- 2 velop the plate or film in the usual manner and a negative having a great depth and great definition will be secured; also as the images as produced by the respective groups of lenses are taken from slightly spaced points, a stereoscopic effect will be produced which will give a round or third dimension eflect to all the objects photographed.

In regard to the prisms is, preferably all the surfaces thereof are hooded in some manner, as, for instance, by being covered with black opaque paint except the surfaces 28 and 28. This prevents or reduces to a minimum the dividing of the light rays into their prismatic colors without in any way preventing the deflecting of the rays as illustrated in Fig. 5.

4 As indicated particularly in Fig. 5, it will be seen that the respective lenses l1 and I8 and the respective prisms l9 are mounted in the respective sliding tubular members 21, which in turn are carried by tubular extensions 28 of the member 24, the parts being so proportioned that some appreciable friction is present so that the tubular supports or carriers 21 will remain in any position to which they have been moved. In many cases the parts are so arranged that both sets of lenses will be focused exactly on the member 22, but sometimes it might be desirable to move one set of lenses and prism slightly further away from the member 22 than the other so as to get a greater shadow or a stereoscopic effect. By this arrangement either group of lenses may be adjusted toward or from a given object and also either group may be moved toward or from each other. By proper setting of the slides I2 and IS, the respective lenses may cause the picture on off register.

I claim:

1. A stereoscopic lens structure, comprising a pair of lens cases, screw means for adjusting said lens cases toward and from each other, a focusing lens carried by each of said cases, means for defiecting the light rays passing through said lenses so as to position the image carried thereby in superimposed relationship on a surface, and a light stop for each lens movable over said cases toward and from said lenses, each of said stops having an aperture many times smaller than the diameter of said lenses, the respective apertures being in axial alignment with the focal axes o the respective lenses.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a plurality of groups of lenses, each group comprising a double convex lens, a double concave lens, said lenses being positioned so that the focal axes thereof will be in exact alignment,

a prism for each group of lenses, each of said prisms having three flat surfaces, two of said surfaces being at right angles to each other, with one of the right-angle surfaces positioned normal to the focal axis of said lenses and with its center in line with the focal axes of said lenses, said groups being focused on a given surface and said prisms acting to shift the rays of light so that the images from the respective groups will be superimposed in exact alignment on said surface. a casing carrying each of said groups of lenses and its corresponding prism and screw means for moving said casings toward and from each other.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a sleeve having a thickened end formed with a pair of apertures, a slideway and a groove facing said slideway, a pair of apertured slides mounted in said slideway, each of said slides having in one edge a threaded groove, the threads of said slides being respectively right and left threads extending from the respective ends of the slides to the center thereof, a right and left screw engaging the threads in said slides, whereby when the screw is rotated said slides will move toward or from each other, means for preventing the longitudinal movement of said screw without interfering with its rotary movement, a tubular member carried by each of said slides, a prism and a group of focusing lenses carried by each of said slides, and a light stop telescopically fitting over each of said tubular members and movable over said tubular members toward and from said lenses, each of said stops having an aperture appreciably smaller than the diameter of said lenses, the respective apertures in said stops being in axial alignment with the focal axes of the respective lenses.

JOHN FRANK WIGGIN. 

